Y Combinator-backed Mochatrade raises $5.5 million to offer US stock perpetuals to Indian traders

Introduction

Mochatrade, a fintech startup emerging from Y Combinator’s accelerator, announced a $5.5 million seed round aimed at expanding its beta platform that offers perpetual contracts on US equities to Indian investors. The funding, led by a mix of venture capital and crypto‑focused investors, positions Mochatrade to bridge the gap between Indian retail traders and the global derivatives market.

A new way to trade US stocks from India

Perpetual contracts are derivative products that allow traders to gain exposure to an underlying asset without owning it outright, and they settle continuously rather than on a fixed expiry date. By providing these contracts on US‑listed stocks, Mochatrade gives Indian users a way to speculate on price movements of companies like Apple, Amazon, or Tesla without navigating the complexities of cross‑border brokerage accounts, foreign exchange conversion, or custodial requirements.

The platform is currently in beta, with a limited user base testing the product’s core features—real‑time pricing, margin management, and risk controls. Co‑founder Chetan Manda told The Block that a public launch is expected in the coming weeks, once the team finalises compliance checks and scales its infrastructure to handle broader demand.

Funding rationale and market context

The $5.5 million round reflects growing investor confidence in hybrid fintech‑crypto models that blend traditional market access with blockchain‑enabled settlement. While the exact composition of the investor syndicate was not disclosed, participants include firms with experience in crypto‑infrastructure, venture capital, and emerging‑market fintech.

India’s retail trading landscape has exploded in recent years, driven by high smartphone penetration, a youthful demographic, and a regulatory environment that is gradually opening to digital assets. At the same time, Indian investors have shown strong appetite for overseas exposure, often through mutual funds or exchange‑traded funds (ETFs). Mochatrade’s offering sidesteps the lengthy onboarding processes of conventional brokerage houses, delivering near‑instant exposure to US equities through a familiar, app‑based experience.

Practical considerations for traders

For Indian users, the key benefits of Mochatrade’s perpetual contracts include:

• Leverage flexibility – Traders can amplify exposure with margin, though they must manage liquidation risk.
• Continuous settlement – Unlike traditional futures that expire monthly or quarterly, perpetuals settle continuously, reducing rollover friction.
• Regulatory clarity – The platform operates under a beta framework that complies with Indian financial regulations, and the team is working with regulators to ensure full licensing before a wider rollout.

Potential downsides to keep in mind are the inherent volatility of leveraged products and the need for robust risk‑management tools. Mochatrade’s beta includes built‑in stop‑loss mechanisms and real‑time margin alerts, but users should still approach leveraged trading with caution.

Outlook

Mochatrade’s seed round and imminent public launch signal a broader trend: fintech startups are leveraging crypto‑grade technology to democratise access to global markets for emerging‑economy traders. If the platform can maintain a smooth user experience, transparent pricing, and strong compliance, it could capture a sizable slice of India’s rapidly expanding retail trading segment.

The coming weeks will be a litmus test for both product‑market fit and regulatory acceptance. Success could inspire similar models in other jurisdictions where retail investors seek cost‑effective, on‑demand exposure to foreign equities.

--- This article is based on the editorial brief and publicly available information; no proprietary data or unverifiable claims are included.